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ytait@ tatrs @anni @Hirn ERNST W. L. IBELLANDER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent No. 74,286, dated February 11, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN FORMING-BLOGKS FORMUIFS.

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"IO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN':

Beit known that I, ERNST W. L. BELLANISER, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, and Statelof Nenr Jersey, have invented certain new and useul4 Improvements in Fur-Block Formersor Cylindrical Fur-Expanders and Lengtheners; and I do hereby declare that the' following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parts wherever they occur.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

My invention relates to adjustable blocks for forming Inuits, or similar articles,`and consists in so shaping, constructing, and arranging a'number of small blocks that, after being formed into a cylindrical shape, making one block, it may, by meansof a screw, be expanded and lengthened when desired, and in this way expand and lengthen wet dressed furs placed and fastened upon it. In the drawings- Figure is a plan view, with some parts dotted, in showing my device closed or compressed.

Figure 2 is an end vi'ew. l

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of my device when extended and enlarged.

Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same.

Figure 5 is a. view of a fur mu` expanded and lengthencd by my device.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the same.

I construct my fur-block former of any desired size, by making twelve pieces, a, out `of wood, or any suitable material, of equal size, shape, and dimensions, as shown in gs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, and so that six of them, when placed together, will form one-half of the external shell of the block-former, and the remaining six the other half, as shown in gs. 1 and 2. These pieces a, I hold together by India-rubber bands, as shown in tig. I. The interiorsurfaces of the blocks a are made tapering, and provided with guides, p, fitting easily into corresponding grooves in the conical nuts m, so that the nuts m may travel upon them, as shown in iig. 3. The endssof the blocks a, which come togethenI provide with dowels or guides, d,.as shown in figs. 3 and 4, which, being fastened on one series of the blocks a, slide into corresponding holes in the other or opposite series, as clearly shown. I providetwo of these dowels for each pair of blocks, as shown in iig. 4. The conical nuts m, arranged to travel on the guides 79, along the interior tapering sides ofthe blocks a, are moved by the right and left-hand screw c, which passes through the centre of the block, and is provided with two cylindrical nuts, n, which may be keyed fast to it by the pins g, as shown in iigs. 1 and 2. The ends of the blocks a are also recessed, and provided with dove-tailed guides, r, which tit into corresponding grooves in the end pieces o, as A shown in iig. 3, so that the blocks a maymove radially on the end-pieces o, when the block is expanded In operating my block-former, I rst arrange it in the closed or compact condition shown in iig. 1. The wet dressed fur proposed to be lengthened, expanded, and shaped, `is then drawn overit, and around the ends, and fastened to the end-pieces o. The screw a is then turned, which causes the conical nuts m to move towards the ends of the block, along the guides p, and to press against the opposing tapering sides ofthe blocks a, and cause them to move radially, and thus gradually and steadily expand the wet dressed fur. When expanded to the extent desired, I remove the pins g and loosen the nuts n, which, thus far, have held the block together longitudinally, and only permitted a radial expansion, and after the nuts n are loosened by a further turning of the screw e,the block is lengthened, as shown in ig.3, and, at the same time, the fur upon it is also lengthened. The wet dressedfur may be stretched in this manner to its'utrnost capacity. `The extent of' the expansive stretching will depend upon the taper of the conical nuts m', and the distance they are made to travel. After the wet dressed fur has been stretched in this way, I leave it upon the block to dry, and retain the form thus given to it, which becomes permanent. I then remove it from the block, and, in the case of a. mui, trim it up with wadding, it, silk and velvet trimmings, and tassels,f g t', all as shown in ltigs. 5 and 6.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim, isd An expansibleimutf-former, consisting of a series of blocks, arranged as described,and operated by the left .and right-hand screw and nuts, so as to expand both longitudinally and radially, or either way alone, at

will, as set forth,

ERITS'I W. L. BELLANDER.

Witnesses:

J. D. REYMERT, JN0. P. HUDSON. 

